I wish to bring to your attention the numerous incidents of racism that have been in the Irish press over the last 2 weeks. What they amounted to was a public representative, be it a councillor or a senator, as well as a judge using either racist slang or making racist statements in the course of their work. These statements were largely brushed under the carpet by the media despite the long term effects they have on the oppressed groups they targeted. A statement by a Fianna Fail senator last week that he would not get into a taxi driven by an “obvious” non-national resonates quite closely with our own problems with racism in Galway city.
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The Discriminatory Consequences of Counter-Terror Legislation in the UK: Towards a New Politics
INTRODUCTION
When the aims of legislation are blurred, it becomes necessary to understand the consequences they may be having. In this essay, I will examine how a domestic version of the politics of pre-emption in the UK is using methods that are both discriminatory and a clear violation of basic human rights to achieve a goal which thwarts the aims of the legislation completely. However, I will not end with just a discussion; I want to delve into the reasons behind a turn to terrorism for young men and how counter-terrorism and believers in democracy must change both their means and aims to achieve a unified community. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) notes that:
“The principle of non-discrimination must always be respected and special effort made to safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups. Counter-terrorism measures targeting specific ethnic or religious groups are contrary to human rights and would carry the additional risk of an upsurge of discrimination and racism.”[1]
Cultural Rights, Cultural Hegemony & The Illusion of the Freedom of Expression
Table of Contents
Declaration …………………………………………………………………………
Chapter 1: Introduction …………………………………………………………
1.1 Context……………………………………………………………………………
1.2 Eastern, Western & Relativist Collectives……………………………..
1.3 Class and Capital ……………………………………………………………..
1.4 Hegemony & Expression ……………………………………………………
Chapter 2: Cultural Rights………………………………………………………..
2.1 Direction…………………………………………………………………………..
2.2 Politics, Class & Collectives………………………………………………….
2.3 Culture & Gramsci……………………………………………………………..
Chapter 3: Cultural Hegemony………………………………………………….
3.1 Effects of Hegemony………………………………………………………….
3.2 Consciousness & Cultural Produce………………………………………..
3.3 Counter-Hegemonic Culture……………………………………………….
Chapter 4: The 3 Freedoms……………………………………………………..
4.1 The Media & Hegemony ……………………………………………………
4.2 Cultural Apathy ………………………………………………………………..
4.3 Taking back the Freedoms …………………………………………………
Chapter 5: Globalisation & Culture………………………………………..
Chapter 6: Conclusion……………………………………………………….……
Bibliography………………………………………………………..
Hegemony, Law and the Media
In a Marxist understanding of the law, legal structures like political and religious ones of the State, form the Super-structure, which operates at all levels to maintain the base it serves, which are the economic structures. For Gramsci, he wanted to develop the idea of the Super-structure and how it can ensure its own survival by ensuring the loyalty of the people who are being oppressed. In this essay, I shall discuss the concept of hegemony and how it is used and manipulated by the ruling classes to spread the values and beliefs of capitalism to those it needs for its survival, the working classes. As a means of showing such widespread dissemination of such values, I shall analyse a particular issue of an Irish daily tabloid to prove how a certain set of beliefs are being pushed on us through one of the main weapons of the State, the media. I shall conclude with the effect of such hegemonic control by pointing to a few examples of where the law has been manipulated to the advantage of the capitalist class.
Election Statement for Non-Aligned Member of ULA Steering Committee
Hi, my name is Joseph Loughnane, I am 25 years old and am active in the Galway branch of the ULA. I am running for a position on the steering committee of the ULA on April 28th.
I have been active in Galway, both on the ground and in the University (NUI Galway) on a wide range of issues affecting working class and marginalised people. I have lived in Galway all of my life, and have a Bachelor of Arts in law and philosophy, an LLB (postgraduate law degree) and a masters in International Human Rights Law. My mother is from Pakistan and my father is from Dublin.
